20 of The Worst Dog Breeds If You Have Allergies
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There are so many people all across the world who have dogs and love them dearly. Dog’s are truly man’s best friend; They are friendly, smart, and some of the funniest animals that we can be blessed with. However, there are many people who all suffer from mild to severe allergies due to dog dander, saliva, fur, and other toxins or allergens that can trigger reactions.
This, of course, can make it sometimes impossible to even be around them entirely. This can, obviously, depend on the type of dog, or rather breed, that you are near the majority of the time. Often more than not, those pups that have coats that are more prone to shedding, or are more prone to losing dander, will be the dogs that trigger more of the allergic reactions in sufferers.
It may seem like a confusing topic to process and figure out, deciding on which dogs don’t cause as many reactions, but this is why we are here. We are counting down the top twenty worst dog breeds to have if you suffer from pet allergies.
1. Basset Hound
These dogs, known for their slow moving and sweet tempered personalities, are scent hounds that can use their nose to find various things.
Basset hounds have a short and smooth hair coat, which produces a good amount of dander. Along with their drooling that they often have, plus the fact that they are a breed that will sometimes have “accidents” in the house, they tend to release a fair amount of allergens into the air, making them a not so great option for allergy sufferers.
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2. Dachshund
Dachshunds, also known as Weiner dogs for their long torsos, are fun toy breeds for people of all ages. This breed often has a curious side, but they are also very good family dogs, especially around young children and those who have the time to take care of them.
However, they are also known to shed quite a bit of dry skin during their lifetime. You can also find dachshunds with variations in coat length, and they are often quite rambunctious pups, known to be keen diggers in the yard.
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3. Siberian Husky
Siberian Huskies, which are often mistaken with the Alaskan Malamute because of their appearance, are also very hard working and loving dogs to have in the family.
The Siberian Husky also has many other similarities to that of its cousin, the Alaskan Malamute, including their energetic demeanor and the fact that they shed their complete double coats twice a year.
This shedding takes place most often during the spring and fall seasons of each year, and it can put a high amount of allergens into the breathing air via the fur and dander.
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4. Springer Spaniel
Springer Spaniels are often known for their endurance and their adaptability, especially when it comes to being outdoors and being adventurous. This allows them to be very good companion dogs as well. They don’t often shed much fur, but they do tend to have quite a bit of dandruff that falls off of their skin.
This can obviously be a trigger for an pet allergy sufferers, but as we mentioned before, they are fantastic dogs for enjoying the outdoors with.
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5. Great Pyrenees
This breed of dog, which is often quite tall in height, is also known as a calm and gentle dog to have. The Great Pyrenees originates from France, and is an excellent watch dog to have as they can go from 0 to 60 in no time if they feel threatened or attacked in any way.
This breed of dog often has two coats, including a coarse outer coat, with a thick under coat. This combination can lead to insane amounts of fur shedding throughout the day, which also leads to dander shedding as well. This can be a problem factor for those who suffer from allergies, making them excellent for families, but not so great for sensitive allergy sufferers.
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6. Akita
Akitas, who first originated from the cold and mountainous regions of the country of Japan, are known to make excellent guard dogs. They are very devoted and loyal to their families. They are also very durable, and are good swimmers thanks to the webbed toes that they have on their paws.
Just as with so many other dogs on this list, Akitas have thick double coats, which make dander and fur cause allergen in the air that can affect pet allergy sufferers of all severities. These allergens are also taken to the next level when the Akita sheds its complete coat. This process typically occurs every six months or so (during the spring and fall seasons), just as it does with the Siberian Husky and the Alaskan Malamute.
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7. Boxer
Boxers are another breed of dog that are well known for their eccentric energy. They are also good dogs for families with young children, and are also very intelligent. However, even with all of those excellent traits, boxers are also dogs that shed their short haired fur quite often, along with a high amount of dander as well.
They are also very susceptible to drooling constantly, and they tend to lick their fur and skin quite often, which leads to dried on saliva on their coat. These are all red flags for allergy sufferers, making them one of the worst dogs to have if you suffer from these types of allergies.
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8. Labrador Retriever
More than likely the most well known and beloved dog on this list, the Labrador Retriever (or labs) are some of the most sociable and friendly dogs that you can have in your home. They are excellent for families with children, as they are full of energy, love to play, and are adventurous.
Unlike their cousin, the Golden Retriever, who has long haired coats, the Labs will have short and smooth coats. This releases a great deal of dander into the air, and along with the drooling that can take place, it can be difficult for sensitive allergy sufferers.
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9. Pomeranian
This is an energetic breed of dog that you will see in many households all over. This toy breed is very playful, and are recognized by their “fluffy” appearance, making them irresistible to many individuals. While playful and loving, the Pomeranian breed is also known for having their heavy and thick double coats.
This can lead to major shedding, along with dander that can come off the fur as well. Along with that, Pomeranians are also known to get so excited that they have an “accident” on the floor. These two aspects can lead to allergens getting into the air when the home and mess is not cleaned properly, obviously, making it difficult for allergy sufferers.
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10. Saint Bernard
The Saint Bernard breed are often known for their huge size and brute like power, but these gentle giants are perfect for families and show an immense amount of loyalty. These dogs were originally bred to be search and rescue dogs, with their ability to trek through the snow and ice with no trouble whatsoever.
These dogs also have thick coats, which of course have evolved throughout time for the same reasons as they were bread. Unfortunately, these big pooches also come with an immense amount of drooling as well as dandruff in their fur, which can cause allergens to get into the air. This is what makes Saint Bernards a breed that is not so great for those who suffer with pet allergies.
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11. German Shepherd
The German Shepherd breed can often get a bad reputation for being aggressive, especially since they are often used as police dogs on forces all throughout the world. However, German Shepherds are actually very loyal and are also very easy to train because of their intelligence.
They have a high stamina as well, playing into their energy that they have day in and day out. In terms of allergens, German Shepherds also have a double coat, just like many other breeds on this list. Both of their coats are very thick, but unlike the Siberian Husky and the Alaskan Malamute, they don’t shed their complete coats during certain season.
They typically will shed throughout the entirety of the year; This, combined with their high rate of dander that falls of their skin, they can have detrimental effects to allergy sufferers.
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12. Doberman Pinscher
This breed of dog, the Doberman Pinscher, found its peak in popularity during the 1970s, and can be found in many homes to this day. These dogs are typically filled with abundant energy, and make excellent watch dogs for the home. They are also very intelligent dogs with a ton of power.
Unfortunately, though, Dobermans also have a short and smooth coat, which ultimately releases allergens into the air via the dandruff that comes off of their fur and skin.
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13. Pekingese
Also known as the “Little Lion Dog”, the breed originated in China, and for not so typical reasons, are not the best breed to have in a home of allergy sufferers. The problem does not actually lie in their fur and/or dander that may get into the air.
However, in short, this breed of dog can be difficult to house train initially as they are rather stubborn. This, in turn, can cause the Pekingese to have a few “accidents” in the home now and again.
This is often what can lead to allergens getting set into the carpet and going throughout the home if the mess is not cleaned up properly, and what makes them a dog that is not so great for pet allergy sufferers.
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14. Chow Chow
The Chow Chow breed, which has been known to originate in Siberia thousands of years ago, has developed a thick double coat over the years because of the cold conditions.
This cat like breed is often not quite so friendly with people they aren’t quite familiar with, and they can also have some trouble with eyesight in terms of their peripheral vision, but they are somewhat good guard dogs for homes and families.
Because of their thick, double coats that they have, they are more susceptible to shedding great amounts of fur and dander more frequently, just as other breeds on this list. This can be detrimental for those who suffer from pet allergies, as the allergens from the dander and fur can get into the air and essentially cause reactions.
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15. Cocker Spaniel
The cocker spaniel breed is known for their gorgeous and stunning, long haired coats. They were originally bred to be used as sporting dogs; However, as time has gone by, these pups are more likely to be a family dog, ready to relax and take a rest.
These dogs, similar to that of the springer spaniel, are known to shed quite a good amount of dander from their fur, and they are also known to drool quite a bit as well.
This can lead to allergic reactions in pet owners for obvious reasons. In fact, cocker spaniels are also known to have some skin allergies of their own that they suffer from, which can ultimately lead to even more dander getting spread into the air.
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16. Bloodhound
Most individuals would recognize a bloodhound as a tracker, a dog that can use its sniffer to hunt down anyone or anything it needs to find. Just as with many of the other dogs on this list, the bloodhound is also known for its immense amount of drool that it will create, plus they also have a smooth hair and waterproof coat that often sheds dander in extreme amounts.
Because of the allergens that can get into the air via the dander and fur, along with the saliva that they drip from their mouths, they can cause a bountiful amount of reactions for the wrong person. Although they are good at sniffing out lost items, they may not be the best suited pooch for an allergy sufferer.
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17. Alaskan Malamute
Obviously originating in the western regions of Alaska, the Alaskan Malamute is a smart and energetic breed of dog that was bred to be a working dog. There are also very good family dogs, and love to play and run off their energy.
This is another breed of dog that has a double coat, and for that matter, these dogs will typically shed their entire coat at least twice a year. Because of this intense shedding of both fur and more than likely dandruff that comes off their bodies, it can be brutal for an allergy sufferer to have them in the home.
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18. Boston Terrier
Boston Terriers, which originate here in the United States, are often also known as the “American Gentlemen” for their unique black and white coats, making it appear as if they are dressed in fine tuxedos. These small and strong dogs are highly energetic, making them excellent dogs for young families and those who have the time to play with them constantly.
Boston Terriers are also known to shed typically high amounts of dander from their coats, and they also will drool a good amount of saliva quite frequently as well.
This makes them not an ideal dog for those who suffer from any type of allergies affiliated with dogs, as the allergens in the air from dander and from the saliva that they drool could cause significant reactions.
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19. Newfoundland Dog
Another massive dog on the list, the Newfoundland dog, is a breed that was originally bred to be in the water and to work in the water, which plays to its webbed toes on its paws as well as their thick, dense coats that they have.
Similarly to the Saint Bernard breed, Newfoundland dogs are known for their immense amount of drool that they create. They also, as we mentioned before, have thick coats.
This, along with the high amount of dander that falls off of their fur and the drooling of saliva, can reek havoc on an allergy sufferer, especially since the amounts of dander and saliva are at amazingly high levels with this breed.
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20. English Bulldog
The English Bulldog is one of the breeds of dogs in the world that many individuals associate with various cartoon characters and other advertisements we often see in the media. However, these dogs are truly loyal companions, and they love to have a good time playing and cuddling with their family.
English bulldogs are another breed of dog that are well known for their drooling and the increased saliva that they make, and with their short hair coats, they often shed a bunch of dander as well. This makes it difficult for them to be in the home of allergy sufferers with all of these components that can trigger severe allergic reactions.